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It’s Okay to Be Tired

Like all of you, I tend to be a busy person. From the moment I get up till the moment I force myself into bed, I am on the go. I pride myself on how much I can accomplish in a single day, and tend to judge our overall success based on this factor. Pride can be a challenge. It’s no wonder there are times I feel downright exhausted. So why does it surprise me when I get to that point, and at what point had I started viewing my being tired as a weakness?

I want to choose to look at being tired in a positive light.

First, I have put in a solid day of ministry and fun; no matter how that manifests itself. Whether we are doing a little learning at home, going on nature hikes, spending the day on an art project, or simply baking cookies; being a mom and an educator is hard work. When we add outside factors into the mix, it’s no wonder where all that energy goes. I have definitely earned that tired!

Second, the Lord is telling me it is time to take it easy. My Father is gently reminding me I cannot do all things; I need rest to refresh my body, soul, and mind. A moment, or two, of relaxation does not make me negligent. It is a subtle reminder I am human and need a break.

I should give a word of caution. Taking a day off now and again, or needing to get a few more hours of sleep in the evening is not the same as feeling tired day after day. Trust me, I’ve been there. There is a significant difference. When we notice a trend toward a continual tired, it is time to take the matter seriously. Don’t put it off. Go see a doctor and deal with the issue. This is too important to ignore.

Being tired is not a weakness, no matter what my pride is trying to tell me. Being tired does not mean I am being lazy, or that I am lacking. Being tired is not a sign that I am failing. When friends ask if I’m a little tired they are not being mean or unkind; they simply care and notice I am probably pushing myself to an unhealthy limit.

While it is true there are certainly constructive ways to reduce the amount of things being done and streamline our routine, the fact is there are weeks which just hull me out completely, leaving me tired. It’s life. It’s to be expected and that’s okay. The issue isn’t whether or not we will get tired, but how we handle these moments. We shouldn’t see being tired as a weakness, but a natural occurrence and an opportunity to take a breath. Being tired is a sign of a job well done, even if the job is serious playtime. It’s a time to enjoy well-earned rest and allow the Lord to renew our spirit.

It is hard to accept that I need to slow down sometimes, even when I am physically or mentally exhausted, but I do feel it is a divine message that I should listen to. I had the flu for two weeks over Christmas and could do practically nothing. But you know, it was still beautiful being with family, and gave me time to reevaluate priorities. I called our living room, the Christmas room, where I was camped out, and anytime someone asked what time it was, I replied it was “Christmas time”, cause it didn’t really matter to much what time of day it was, I needed to rest!

Relaxing can be a chore in its own right. It can be hard to push through the noise of the world around us and just be still, or do something different to what’s normally the routine. I agree that pride plays a part. I think guilt, condemnation, envy and the consequential self-condemnation, play the bigger role. I remember the “on holidays AGAIN bro?” comments and snide remarks, of friends and some family, every time I used 2 weeks of my four weeks a year paid leave. Never mind that those people would take their own time doing things, were often not very punctual and took their own holidays with pride. It’s a brutal cycle, unless you can be either raised, or have the ability to be encouraged out of the mindset this kind of crazy leads to.

I’ve encountered a real double standard when it comes to relaxation and choosing to take time out, away from the crowd. It’s what I call the black-eye syndrome. This is, metaphorically, when people keep hitting you, then criticise you for always having a black-eye. We can even do this to ourselves. Usually that’s because of parental abuse when we were growing up, where a parent might use put-downs to make themselves feel more powerful, or feed some lack within themselves. Hence, relaxing can be far from relaxing for some people, until they learn to identify the root causes of why they struggle to rest. 2 Cor. 10:4-5 speaking truth, centring our focus onto Jesus Christ, and taking the time to push back against untruth is a great place to start.